Pipe Preparation; Advance/Retract The Groove Roll; Loading Pipe In Roll Groover - RIDGID 918 Manual

• Move the REV/O-OFF/FOR switch to the OFF po-
sition, and with dry hands unplug the machine.

Pipe Preparation

These are generalized instructions. Always
NOTI E
follow grooved coupling manufacturer's specific recom-
mendations for pipe end preparation. Failure to follow
these recommendations may lead to an improper con-
nection and cause leaks.
1. Be aware of pipe specifications acceptable for groov-
ing. Out of specification pipe can cause leaks and
other issues. Pipe out-of-roundness must not exceed
total O.D. tolerance listed in the Standard Roll Groove
Specifications, Table II.
2. Cut pipe to proper length. Be aware of the minimum
pipe lengths for grooving.
• 5" and smaller diameter pipe should not be shorter
than 8" (200 mm) long.
• 6" to 12" diameter pipe should not be shorter than
10" (250 mm) long.
Grooving shorter pipe increases the risk of injury from
crushed fingers and entanglement.
3. Make sure pipe end is cut square and free of burrs.
Burrs can catch or cut gloves or fingers during groov-
ing. Cut off method and large burrs can affect the
quality of the groove made and tracking of the groover.
Do not attempt to groove pipe that has been cut with
a torch.
4. Remove all internal/external weld beads, flash, seams,
scale, dirt, rust and other contaminants at least 2" back
from the end of the pipe. Do not cut flats into gasket
seat area, this could cause leaks. Contaminants can
clog the drive knurls and prevent proper driving and
tracking of the pipe while grooving.

Advance/Retract The Groove Roll

The movement of the groove roll is controlled by the hy-
draulic pump.
• To advance the groove roll, move the pump lever to the
advance position, then move the pump handle up and
down.
• To retract the groove roll, move the pump lever to the
retract position. See Figure 11.
999-998-946.10_REV. C
918 Roll Groover
Advance
Retract
Figure 11 – Pump Release Lever Position

Loading Pipe in Roll Groover

1. Confirm that the machine switch is in the OFF position.
2. Fully retract the groove roll.
3. Appropriate pipe stands must be available to sup-
port the pipe. Adjust the height of the pipe stands so
that the pipe will be level and the top inner diameter of
the pipe will sit on top of the drive roll (see Figure 12).
Place the pipe stands directly in front of the roll groov-
er. Pipe stand placement depends on the pipe length.
For shorter pipe (see Chart A) the pipe is supported by
the drive shaft and at least one stand. In this case, the
stand should be placed slightly more than half the
length of the pipe from the roll groover.
Nom. Min. Max.
Size Length Length
1 8 36
1 1 / 8 36
4
1 1 / 8 36
2
2 8 36
2 1 / 8 36
2
3 8 36
3 / 8 36
1
2
4 8 36
Chart A – Minimum/maximum pipe length to be grooved
with one stand (in inches)
For longer pipes at least two stands should be used,
with the two stands placed approximately 1/4 of the
pipe length from the ends of pipe. Failure to properly
support the pipe may allow the pipe or the pipe and
machine to tip and fall. Always use a pipe stand – it
helps to align the pipe and maintain proper tracking.
Nom. Min. Max.
Size Length Length
4 8 36
4 1 / 8 32
2
5 8 32
6 O.D. 10 30
6 10 28
8 10 24
10 10 24
12 10 24
11